Simone Young, who has more than 25 years’ experience of advising all parties involved in the construction sector, joins as partner, and Stephanie Zak, who has worked in both practice and industry during her 17-year career, joins the firm as commercial real estate consultant.

Ms Young is a leading name in non-contentious construction law. She advises on all aspects of construction procurement, including drafting and negotiating contracts, professional appointments, collateral warranties, and construction elements of wider development and funding agreements.

She brings a wealth of experience advising developers, funders and private clients, and is ranked by both Legal 500 and Chambers UK for her work in this field.

She said: “I’m pleased to be joining a firm with such a strong reputation for client care and specialist advice. Construction law can be complex and highly technical, but my role is about helping clients understand their risks, get the right protections in place, and move forward with confidence.

“Thorntons is clearly committed to providing tailored, commercially minded legal solutions, and I look forward to helping build a construction service that reflects those values – one that’s collaborative, clear and focused on long-term partnerships.”

Ms Zak’s expertise covers all aspects of commercial real estate, including acquisitions, disposals, letting and funding, and is bolstered by a background in banking and fund work. With experience gained in-house at leading financial institutions, she brings a strong understanding of the commercial context in which legal decisions are made.

Ewan Miller, head of business law at Thorntons, said: “Simone and Stephanie’s appointments are a key milestone in our continued growth. By expanding our construction law and commercial real estate services, we are strengthening our ability to offer joined-up, sector-specific advice to clients involved in commercial property and development.

“At Thorntons, we pride ourselves on listening first, understanding what matters, and then delivering solutions that help clients move forward. This is another important step in ensuring we have the right people and expertise in place to do just that.”